Mumbai, 11 September 2014
Former top cop of Gujarat Police, Dahyabhai Vanzara (DG Vanzara) has been granted bail on parity ground in extortionist Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case for Rs. 2 lakh bond and condition of surrendering his passport. Vanzara will continue to be in prison due to other encounter cases he is facing. Vanzara has already filed bail plea in Ishrat encounter case.
Vanzara who completed 7 years in prison in April year was arrested on April 24, 2007, along with two other IPS officers Rajkumar Pandian and Dinesh MN. Vanzara was serving as Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Border Range when he was arrested. As per government rule, he was suspended after he was in custody for 48 hours.
Later, he was also made accused in the fake encounter cases of Ishrat Jahan, Tulsiram Prajapati and Sadik Jamal Mehtar.
59-year-old Vanzara retired in June 2014 from police after 34 years of service in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati prison only.
The Court recently released Abhay Chudasama, Pandian and inspector B R Chaubey in Sohrabuddin encounter case.
Vanzara, who had joined the police service as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySp) in 1980, was promoted as an IPS officer in 1987. He served as Deputy Commissioner of Police of Ahmedabad Crime Branch and was later promoted as DIG. He has also worked as DIG, Anti Terrorism Squad in Ahmedabad.